The University of Waterloo community is mourning after Palestinian twin sisters accepted into a PhD program at the southern Ontario school were killed this month in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war.
The family of Sally and Dalia Ghazi Ibaid says the 26-year-olds had hopes of “an end to their and our suffering” and “realizing their dreams” after getting accepted into the Global Student Relief Initiative, which supports students from conflict zones, on Oct. 28.
“The focus now is on Gaza and the West Bank, where universities have been bombed and there’s not much opportunity for any education,” said Tamer Ozsu, a University of Waterloo professor who oversees applications from students for the fellowship program.
Sally and Dalia were in the process of applying for study permits to enter the university’s system design engineering program and were preparing to cross the Rafah border when they were killed Dec. 5.
While the University of Waterloo says it was an Israeli airstrike, CBC has yet to confirm that and is awaiting a response from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). The university team managing the fellowship program has been in contact with the girls’ family, who confirmed their mother also died in the airstrike.
University officials told CBC their university acceptance was exciting for the girls, as they were looking forward to pursuing their dreams in Canada.
Sally and Dalya Ghazi Ibaid, twin sisters from Gaza, left to right, were excited to pursue their dreams in Canada after being accepted to the University of Waterloo’s Global Student Relief Initiative in October, school officials said in announcing the two were killed on Dec. 5 amid the Israel-Hamas war before coming to Ontario. (Submitted: University of Waterloo )
“These were very highly educated students that we had high hopes for,” Ozsu said. “Them having not even a chance to come here and try their hand in education and research, it’s quite devastating.”
Nada El-Falou is a PhD student and volunteers to help students who are in the initiative get comfortable on campus.
Unfortunately, they did not get their opportunity to realize their dreams. Thank you for caring about and helping our daughters. – Letter from family of Sally and Dalia Ghazi Ibaid
She said it took time for her to process the twins’ deaths.
“At first, I was not absorbing it, not really understanding it,” she said.
“Unfortunately, with so many deaths, it’s just difficult to absorb each and every one emotionally.”
The war in Gaza was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on communities in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. According to Israel, the attack killed some 1,200 people and about 240 hostages were taken back to Gaza.
Israel’s campaign has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, Gaza’s Health Ministry says, displaced most of the 2.3 million population and reduced much of the coastal enclave to ruins.
‘I’m excited about the future’: Sally’s audio submission
Through an emailed release from the University of Waterloo, CBC obtained the audio Sally had submitted to the university as part of her application for the program
“I graduated from Al-Azhar University with a bachelor’s degree in mechatronics engineering,” Sally is heard saying.
“My academic journey has equipped me with a solid foundation and various aspects of engineering, particularly in ambitious systemic programming and design.”
Throughout the recording, Sally details her accomplishments during her time in Gaza, including:
Designing a smart monitoring system based on ESP 32, allowing for real-time data collection and analysis.
Creating a mass loading robot using the STM 32 microcontroller.
Training at the Noora Rashid Al Kabi Dialysis Centre.
LISTEN | Hear Sally Ghazi Ibaid’s audio submission to the University of Waterloo:
Sally says she aspired to pursue her master’s degree in mechatronics engineering with a focus on embedded systems and IT.
“In addition to my technical skills, I have developed strong interpersonal and communication abilities, which I believe are crucial for effective teamwork and project management.
“I’m excited about the future and eager to take on new challenges that will allow me to grow both personally and professionally in the field of mechatronics,” the recording concludes.
Twins were ‘vibrant, bubbly, excited’: family letter
Sally’s and Dalia’s family sent a message to the team managing the fellowship program at the University Waterloo after learning of their deaths.
“We would like to thank you for helping Sally and Dalia,” the statement reads. “Unlike the last year, in the last few days, the twins were vibrant, bubbly, excited and full of dreams and ambitions. They constantly talked about their PhD study, jokingly calling each other Dr. Sally and Dr. Dalia, and talking about the things they want to do in Canada.
“Through your help, they saw an end to their and our suffering. You gave them and us hope. Unfortunately, they did not get their opportunity to realize their dreams. Thank you for caring about and helping our daughters.”
El-Falou said the family’s words really hit her.
“I can’t express how unfair it feels,” she said. “You don’t choose where you’re born and yet they were born there, where they were also murdered.”
Ozsu said the university decided to release a photo of the sisters so people will remember them.
“It’s actually these two girls who were months away from coming here, and that’s important.”
WATCH | Israeli airstrike kills at least 36 Palestinians in Gaza, officials say:
University of Waterloo ‘deeply saddened’
A notice posted to the university’s website also acknowledged the loss. It included the family’s statement and help resources for students needing additional support.
“The University of Waterloo is deeply saddened to share the news of the deaths of two students,” the notice reads.
“Both sisters were recipients of UWaterloo’s prestigious Student Relief Fellowship (SRF). Dalia and Sally were selected based on their outstanding academic achievement and demonstrated research potential.”
University of Waterloo community members have felt the impact of the war before.
A Palestinian scholar continues to be remembered after dying in an Israeli airstrike in December 2023.
Sofyan Taya was president of the Islamic University of Gaza and a visiting scholar at the University of Waterloo from 2021 to 2022 in electromagnetics and optics. He was killed alongside his family.
Sofyan Taya was at the University of Waterloo as a visiting professor and scholar starting in 2021. Taya was killed in Gaza alongside his family in 2023. (Submitted by Mohammad Al-Sharman)
Mohammad Al-Sharman, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Waterloo, became friends with Taya during his residency at the school. He described him as “a great friend” and “nice soul,” and found the news of Taya’s death “extremely shocking.”
Al-Sharman said Taya’s death was a blow to his academic field as he was considered a leader in the subfield of electromagnetic and optics.
“He’s been contributing to this subfield so immensely so losing professors like Sofyan Taya … it’s a major loss.”
